Facets of Faith

Conversations about life, faith, and friendship.

Where is the Room to Play?

by //

Welcome to June and a fresh topic.  Join us as we look at the power of play. It’s a gift given to us by God, so we can continue to fight the good fight. Play.  Then pick up your sword and fight, sweet friend.

Sometimes, life hands us a whole lot of serious. Stress, trials, & troubles can bog us down.  Life dispenses circumstances that cause room for concern. But I am learning to hand those things over to God.  He wants us to do what we can and give the rest to Him. Pray. Trust. Be Still. And Play.

For me it’s hard to get to that place of play if I have let fear, worry, or too much of the evening news into my life.  I want to be informed, but not formed by what the world is slinging like breakfast at a greasy diner. It doesn’t always sit well in my stomach. I want the Lord and His wisdom to inform my choices. I want the Lord to provide peace when times are turbulent.

It’s a little ironic the word God gave me in January was JOY.  The year of 2020 vision, He knew what my future held.  He knew I’d need to remain centered on His joy well before I knew how much I’d need it.  During all the trials and trauma of 2020 quarantines, isolation, too much of some people, not enough of others, it has been the JOY of the Lord that truly has been my strength.

For a brief moment early on, I wrestled with darkness and depression.  It scared me.  I’ve walked through that dreary tunnel before. It feels cold and damp and alone. I hadn’t felt that feeling in a long time. In the isolation and unknown of what impact Covid-19 would have on life, I felt vulnerable. I felt the weight. I felt the worry (and I wouldn’t consider myself a worrier).

But the beautiful thing about walking with God is He helps us recognize warning signs. In the stillness, we hear His voice whisper.

“This is the way. Walk in it.”

“Come to Me, My weary one and I will give you rest.”

“Be still and know that I am God. I’ve got this. I’ve got you!”

“Trust in Me. Trust in My goodness.”

“I AM your provider.  (Of all things I might add!)”

JOY in spite of circumstances is a barometer of our faith.

When we choose joy, we show others and ourselves we believe what we say. We believe God is good. We believe God is sovereign. We believe God is who He says He is and that He will work everything (even quarantine) to the good of those who love Him.

When we choose faith over fear, play is possible.

Why is that important?  There are several reasons play is important. We’ll look at a few.

  1. Play is important for our emotional health

As I shared, early on I felt burdened and depressed. I didn’t like feeling out of control. I didn’t like everyone else making decisions on my behalf.  Some I agreed with. Some I did not.  If any of you have ever been controlled in an unhealthy way, you might have felt the same.

But God brought about a perspective shift.  He didn’t let me linger too long in that space, but I was there long enough to realize at any given moment if I disconnect from The Vine (God Himself) I could be back in that head space He delivered me from. It was a good reminder of my need for Him.  He is The Light that drives out the darkness. Always.

God led me to play through blessing others in small ways.  I was like a little child, and it brought me great joy. I actually don’t want to get into the specifics here, but leave room for the Holy Spirit to speak to you directly.

What brings you joy that might also bless others?  How can your hands and heart engage in something you truly love doing that will have the added benefit of bringing joy to someone else?

And when we play, even if it’s a little self-indulgent sometimes, that’s okay too.  When we do the things we enjoy? Our spirit is rejuvenated. We engage with others from a place where play has prepared our hearts and minds to love well. Laughter. Joy. Play. They all have a place in helping us be the best version of who God intends for us to be.  So play, sweet friend. Play!  Play for you. Play for your kids. Play for your spouse. Play for your friends. Play for your community.  They all need your best self. Play is good medicine for your emotional well-being.

  1. Play minimizes stress

Have you felt a little stress these days? God has an assignment. Go outside and play.  (Or stay inside but play.)  Remember recess?  That needs to come back. Give yourself a recess every day.  I don’t know what your recess will look like. Whatever it is, do something you enjoy.

We are worth taking time from our busy schedules, for those teaching kids at home, working from home, being the wearer of many hats these days.

We are worth taking advantage of down time if we aren’t as busy.  Play now so you will have strength later when you need it.

We all know worry doesn’t help. So why do we do it?

It’s a trap from the enemy. Don’t step into it. Step beyond the stress. Step into God’s best by playing with Him.

I needed an outlet that wasn’t work.  My job is considered an “essential” job, so I’ve been working. I have the type of personality that has to be careful not to work too much.  In my stress I could have chosen to strive, to keep on the clock day and night.  If I’m not careful, I can be my own personal slave driver.  But I know these things. God has equipped me. And He gives me tools to help fight that.

If I start to feel guilty for taking time to play, to rest, to just be, to just be me, it’s a dead give-away.  Set that stress aside and play. I do not have to feel bad about enjoying life. Neither do you.

I was finding it hard to play with my rhythms so thrown off.  I felt led to get a guitar and spend time learning to play it.  Whether I become the next Eric Clapton isn’t really the point.  The point is to play.  The guitar is a vehicle the Lord gave me to step away from stress and striving. The guitar was God’s invitation for me to sit with Him, to laugh at all the odd noises coming from this instrument not yet making music.

There was an unexpected added benefit to an app I downloaded to help me learn the guitar.  It had vocal instruction too.  So, of course, I fiddled around with that as well.  The instruction reminded me of the importance of breathing.  With each deep breath I took during play, stress was sloughed off me.

So take a deep breath (literally) and play.

  1. Play boosts creativity and brain power

Have you ever had those times when you are trying to solve a problem or develop a creative concept and you’re stuck?  I have found sometimes my brain needs a rest.  I have to set aside the problem.  If I don’t and keep searching, pushing for the solution, it eludes me even more.  It’s as if the more I search for the answer the further away it travels.  Like jumping into water, the ripples push what I’m trying to grasp to the other side of the pool out of reach.  I made a splash but accomplished nothing.

I’ve learned this in my writing.  I can’t force it.  It has to come. I need inspiration. I need to let it simmer. I can’t grab for it.  If I do, it escapes me. I’ve learned to jot down what I have, walk away, and let the rest simmer without thinking on it too much.

I can’t snatch ideas out of God’s hand before He is ready to give them to me.  He’s growing trust in Him. He’s allowing my brain to find healthy rhythms while providing the creative brain power needed for work, writing, ministry, for life.

After all, He is Creator God and we are made in His image.  He wants us to create. Create families. Create businesses. Create goodness and generosity. Create art. Create life. Create joy. Create. Create. Create.

To be our most creative, we need to let our hair down a little and enjoy life.  Set the work aside. It will be there. God will redeem the time.  That has helped me a lot to realize I am actually far more productive when I DO take time to play.  I could sit and rack my brain for ideas for hours, days, weeks.  Or, I could do what I know to do, go play, let the ideas percolate, and then boom: God’s inspiration comes flowing like a river.

He allows me to play and gives me the remainder when I actually need it. His timing, not mine.

God did this very thing Sunday. Sam and I went for a motorcycle ride (one of my favorite forms of play). God allowed me to see something that heightened a burden in my heart. In the quiet of our ride, God gave me something to write. He entrusted it to my care. As He downloaded various ideas over the course of the day, I text them to myself so I wouldn’t forget. I wanted to write, but I knew I needed to play in order to let it all come out the way God wanted. Play helps us look at hard things without letting them overwhelm us. Impact, yes. Overwhelm, no. God inspired me to write this piece on God’s view of color.

Have you ever went for a walk and came back with a flood of ideas?  Perhaps, you fish or boat.  Time on the water refuels your soul and you come back invigorated, on fire, and so much creativity inside it’s almost bursting.  Maybe you love animals.  They teach you how to play.  They spark laughter and joy.  Their snuggles set your soul at rest and your creativity gets recharged.

Play so that you become smarter and more creative.  Give your brain a rest, will you?

My husband used to train triathletes. They’d train super hard for Ironman events. Do you want to know one of the most important elements of a successful training program to compete in a high level event like this?  A recovery period.  There are times of intense training, coupled with rest.  If athletes don’t rest, it actually negatively impacts their performance.

Same with us.

Are you willing to give your brain a rest to have a stronger performance? That “performance” could be your role in the family, your job, your contribution to the  community, your (fill in the blank).  If you want to do well in life, will you commit to play?

“Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.─Mark 10:15-16 NIV

We can learn a lot from children. We can learn how to enter the kingdom of God.  We can learn to play like children.  We once played well. How do we get back to that?

“I led them with cords of human kindness,

with ties of love.

To them I was like one who lifts

a little child to the cheek,

and I bent down to feed them.

─Hosea 11:4 NIV

 

The Lord was speaking to Israel about His love for them in the passage above.

He speaks to us through it as well.  He leads us with kindness and love.  He lifts us like a little child to HIS cheek.  He bends down to feed us.

What if our food is play – pure and simple play?

Pray. Trust. Be Still. And Play.

Play unto the Lord.

If you find it hard to play, watch children.  See how they interact with their toys and with one another.  Sometimes they’re in their own little world, not a care, creating a tea party, a sleepover, a castle complete with a mote, lava water that melts (aka carpet), or some other creative immersion.  Observe and learn (except the not sharing part … we probably don’t want to copy that).

Join the conversation here or on our Facebook page.

How Do You See 2020?

by //

This is the not the piece I thought I’d be writing when the Facets team selected our topic. However, God knew. He is fully aware of each of our situations, and I am reminded of this as I navigate these waters, the ones I wish I weren’t swimming in.  Through it all, I know the Lord is FAITHFUL.  That is a certainty, an anchor I can cling to.  And I do.

I was going to bypass selecting a word for the new year (a word to live by and guide me like a compass in case you are unfamiliar with the idea).  I felt like everyone was doing it now, and I’m not one who wants to do what everyone else is doing.  I also don’t want to get into a spiritual rut, and just do something because I’ve always done it a certain way.  In my opinion, that’s how faith becomes stale and flat.  God is alive and vibrant and always up to new things.

However.

However, God began stirring my heart in late December to select a word as my compass for 2020.  I’ll spare you all the details of how we landed on the word “Joy”, because those aren’t all that important to anyone other than myself.  So, my primary word for the year is “Joy”, and I believe God gave me a secondary word “Refreshment”. He gave me a picture of a book title where there’s a primary, larger title coupled with a secondary, smaller one.  I believe refreshment is a byproduct of joy, so it makes sense to me that God would couple them together.

It might look something like this:

JOY

Refreshment

 

A generous person will prosper;

   whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.─Proverbs 11:25 NIV

I really liked this verse when God pointed it out to me.  I could wrap my brain around the idea of refreshing others.  I have learned it really IS a blessing.  In God’s goodness, He shows us how wonderful we feel when we do good unto others.  There’s so much self-absorption in the world (and I’m not immune to it myself).  But when I remember the goodness of the Lord, how truly good He has been to me, and I allow myself to be a part of His plan, it’s beautiful.  Magnificent (not because of anything I get to do) …. Please don’t mistake what I’m saying.  I’m sharing because God blesses US so much when we do.  Even in the hard moments, like this one if I’m being honest, He is blessing me.  So, my hope is that God uses me to refresh you, and in the refreshing, I too am refreshed.  Because I need it. And He knows it!

Recently, I received heart breaking news someone precious to me died of a drug overdose.  The news took my breath away.  I went into a state of shock and grief threatened to overwhelm my heart at the futility of it.  I couldn’t process what had happened to this precious one in that moment.  I had to put it in a box and place it on a shelf with the help of Jesus.  Jesus, you know I can’t engage in this right now.  Please help me to keep the emotions at bay until I can safely process them with You.

God is faithful. He answered my prayer.  Thank You, Jesus!  He gave me His grace to engage in activities I had to take care of (for hours and hours).  About 6 hours after hearing the news, I was finally able to let myself consider what happened.  I pulled over in a school parking lot, not even waiting until I arrived home.  Slowly, I turned the valve of emotion on.  Like a torrent, tears flooded.  I’d come prepared.  There was a box of tissues in my passenger seat.  I knew when I finally let myself “go there” I’d need them.

The tragedy of her death broke my heart (still does).  I consider her family, her children, and all the things she dreamed of doing.  I got the privilege and honor of walking closely alongside this precious one for the better part of a year almost every day. I heard her story, the hard bits, the things she’d had to overcome. She was brave. She was special. She learned how much the Lord loves her and received healing from the One with the most tender of touch.  She overcame much. She learned to grieve, a treasured moment too sacred to share publicly, but I got to see God at work in her life.  Powerfully.  And it was beautiful.

As I consider one of my treasured memories of her, I am reminded of the importance of grieving a loss in season.  So, I give myself permission to grieve.  It’s healthy. And then I search out Joy. Because I have to do that too.  She’d want God to do good things with it, and so I will.  I’ll fight my way through it.  I am fighting my way through it.

God gave me the word “Joy” before her death, knowing I’d need to seek Joy, to search it out, and to use it to find my way back to Him and to hope.

Joy isn’t the absence of sorrow.  It’s a choice. Especially in times like these.

Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.  Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.─John 14:24

This was advice Jesus gave to the disciples, preparing them for the grief they’d experience at His death and all they’d endure. I believe it is for us as well.  Part of the choosing of joy can only be sourced in the name of Jesus.  When we can’t get to that place on our own, we can turn to Him.  We ask. We receive. And our joy is complete even in our grief.

Sourcing Joy on our good days is easy.  It’s in the dark days that we need Him to hold our hand and walk us into the radiant light of His presence which will always lead us closer to Him and point us to every fruit of the spirit, including joy.  It’s part of our “DNA”. It’s in us if we are believers.  We have love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, & self-control (Gal 5:22).  Through prayer, God helps us access Joy.  Sometimes, it’s supernatural.

How do I know? He’s done it for me.  He’s DOING IT for me.

So, how DO I see 2020?

My vision blurred.  My ears rang.  Head throbbed. All my senses impacted in early 2020 with the horrible news of someone precious leaving this world far too soon, someone who had so much potential, someone who struggled (as we all do in some way or another).

Yet.

Yet there is victory.  Her story isn’t over.  God is using hers to help write others’ stories too.  I know He won’t waste what happened to her.  I’ve asked Him to wring every ounce of good He possibly can from the tragedy of her death.  Somehow, some way, He will use it for good (even though her death is not good, not at all).

Maybe you are reading this and you struggle with addiction. Get help! You have so much more to do and you CAN have victory with Christ’s help.  Don’t struggle alone.  It’s a dangerous place to live.  Surround yourself with God’s love, healthy people who have traveled the same path and are standing on the other side (NA, AA, Celebrate Recovery – whatever works best for you), and find people to encourage you on your recovery journey.  Fight!  Because your life MATTERS!  People will MISS YOU if you aren’t here.  FIGHT!  You have it in you!  Don’t give up on yourself or your future.  You are too important to this world. Whatever healing you need to do, let God do it with you.  There’s a reason for addiction. No one chooses it. No one.  Whatever the hurt is beneath, don’t bury it. Look at it in 2020 and let God give you a clearer vision of what He has for you.  Bring it into the light of God’s love and let Him heal it. If you need professional help, seek it. Don’t ever be ashamed. We all need help sometimes.  All.  It’s what we’re supposed to do.  God calls us to love one another.  Helping each other …. Well, that’s part of God’s plan.  If you feel alone, know that you NEVER are.  God is closer than a breath. He won’t let you down.  His love will meet you right where you are.  He’s been in bars, strip clubs, prisons, hotel rooms, and in a house that feels lonely because you’re the only one in it.  His presence isn’t just for church.  His church is everywhere, not confined to a building.  Remember that.

So, how DO I see 2020?

How Do You See 2020? (Tracy)The fog clears and lifts. It doesn’t stay cloudy forever when we fight back with Joy.  So, I CHOOSE to see 2020 through eyes of Joy. It’s what God has called me to. He calls us all to Joy.  (And this joyful photo was taken before Christmas, before I knew I needed a smile.)

Why is Joy so important?  I believe God placed a few ideas on my heart as I navigate these waters. He wants me to know this, but I believe He wants you to know these things too.

Joy is our Comfort

God doesn’t want us mired down in our grief, whatever the loss. It could be the death of someone precious, it could be the loss of a job, the loss of a dream, etc.  There are a lot of things that feel as if they are snatched away too soon.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.─Matthew 5:5 NIV

God’s word says we are blessed as we mourn. Why? Because God comforts us in our loss.  He sees our heartbreak. He sees our brokenness, and He gives us the gift of His presence in special ways.  I always feel closest to Him when I need Him most.  I see Him more easily because I’m seeking Him more earnestly. Where are You in this, God? I need to see You.  I need to know You are near.  Show me evidence of You. I need You to minister to me.

 And He does.

Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.─Psalm 126:5 NKJV (emphasis mine)

We reap a harvest of joy as we allow God to comfort us.  Joy is one of the tools He uses to effectively minister to our hearts, helping us to hold our head up and keep going.  So, when you find yourself wondering, Why are you so downcast, oh my soul? (Psalm 43:5)  Pray that God ministers to you through His ministry of joy which brings comfort beyond our comprehension.

Joy is our Peace

When we look at the fruit of the spirit, we see peace positioned directly after joy.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!─Galatians 5:22-23 NLT (emphasis mine)

I don’t believe anything is accidental in Scripture, including the proximity of joy to peace.  Perhaps peace is best possible out of the overflow of joy.  The good news is that if you look closely at the verse, God is the One producing it.  When we ask for His help, He’ll help us access it.  Some days we just won’t naturally have Joy in our hearts. It’s especially in those times we should seek His Joy so we can walk in peace.

The enemy has an all-out war waged against our peace.  He’s trying to render us ineffective.  We can fight back with Joy.  Need more assurance this “Joy thing” isn’t all on you?  Let’s see what this scripture has to say.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.─Romans 15:13 NIV (emphasis mine)

Our God of hope will fill us with all joy and peace.  Our part? Trust in Him.

Okay, God.  We don’t always understand, but we will trust You.  Please fill us with all joy and peace.  Let us walk in joy and the peace of knowing You are never caught off guard by our circumstances.  We find peace in Your presence.  It’s also where we find fullness of joy.  Forevermore.  (Psalm 16:11)

Joy is our Calling

Pray that I may be kept safe…so that I may come to you with joy, by God’s will and in your company be refreshed.─Romans 15-31-32 NIV (emphasis mine)

The Apostle Paul prayed he would be kept safe so he could carry out His assignment.  Paul’s desire was to come to others WITH JOY BY GOD’S WILL.  God has assignments for each of us to complete.  In part, that is our calling.  But we are also called to do it with joy by God’s will.  How we do what God has set before us is just as important as what He sets before us.  When we spend time with others on mission, we help one another.  When one falls down, the other lifts him or her up.  That’s by God’s design.  I have been refreshed by others in my moments of weakness, even knowing they are praying for me helps beyond measure.

Let’s be that refreshment for one another.  Let’s come to one another with Joy by God’s will in what we do each day.  None of us knows what another person is going through.  God does.  When He calls us to a person, there is always purpose in it─for them, for us.  Let’s refresh one another with Joy. The world is weary. We are called to be different.

You may be wondering how we can fulfill this calling of Joy when, sometimes, it’s incredibly hard.  Keep reading. =)

Joy is our Strength

How do we do “the hard thing” and exhibit joy when, if it were left to us, that wouldn’t be our disposition based on circumstances?

Well, we don’t have to be strong enough.  We just need to know the One who is.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.─2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV (emphasis mine)

Well, we don’t have to be strong enough.  We just have to know the One who is.  And when we do, He’ll move mountains to show us we are far stronger than we think.  Neither Hercules nor the Hulk have anything on the power of the Holy Spirit who guides us into His power to do immeasurably more than we think or imagine.

Joy isn’t some silly, slap happy notion.  God wants us to fight for our Joy because it is our strength.

This day is holy to the Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.─Nehemiah 8:10b NIV (emphasis mine)

I suppose, in part, that is why God has called me to notice and document something that brings me joy each and every day this year.  Noticing things big and small that bring me joy will strengthen me for the journey He has ahead.  I’ve already noticed a sunrise, my silly dog bringing me his toys (incessantly), a smile from my sister, a scented candle burning in my office, a song that comes on at the perfect time that ministers to my heart, and that’s just what I’ve seen so far.

What we look for is what we will see.  So, I’m on a mission to see Joy.  Even when it’s hard.  Especially when it’s hard.

Joy is our Witness

Joy is at the heart of God’s plan for human beings. The reason for this is worth pondering awhile: Joy is at the heart of God himself.  We will never understand the significance of joy in human life until we understand its importance to God.  I suspect that most of us seriously underestimate God’s capacity for joy.(1)

When I read this in John Ortberg’s The Life You’ve Always Wanted, Spiritual Disciplines For Ordinary People, it made me pause to consider God’s capacity for joy.  Have you ever thought about it?  I really hadn’t until that moment.

People who don’t know God often are afraid of Him. They gauge Him as this dour judge handing out sentences of misery and thou shalt nots.  If only they truly knew the desires of His heart, they would weep.  There is SO MUCH GOODNESS in God we can’t fathom. The world can’t contain it. Heck, if I only look at MY LIFE and see His goodness in it and how much joy He has brought my way, its abundance wouldn’t be contained.  And that doesn’t mean I’ve lived some sheltered, perfect life. What it does mean is that He has implanted great joy in my life, even in the midst of hard things.

Some people close to me think God is angry at them (or could be).  Again, if they only knew His capacity for joy (and love, mercy, grace, and every other good thing we can think of) they’d sit under a broom tree, throw dust on their heads, and grieve all the time they’d lost with the Lord, of knowing Him and His capacity to bring them great joy.

Well, what if we are the way for them to see that?  We are, don’t you know?  When people observe us accessing the joy of the Lord in a difficult season, it says something. It says something about our Lord.  People know different when they see it.  Don’t we want to look different?

I want someone to know Jesus because they knew me and saw His power pulsating through my life.  Because Joy in times of trial is supernatural.  Only God generates that.  Our light shines brightest in the dark.

As products of God’s creation, creatures made in his image, we are to reflect God’s fierce joy in life.  (1)

Joy is our Weapon

If you ask me, there’s a reason the enemy comes so hard after our Joy.  It’s related to the above.  He is fully aware how fragrant our Joy smells to the world, to those who don’t know it.  They may know happiness, but Joy, that’s something altogether different.

The enemy doesn’t want us to be Ambassadors for Christ, so he’ll present situations that feel unbearable sometimes.  But that’s a lie. With God all things are possible. We are never alone, and we are most visibly God’s WARRIORS when we wield Joy like a weapon that slashes through the darkness.

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”─John 16:33 NLT (emphasis mine)

God has already overcome the world.  It’s done.  The enemy has been defeated.  And when we remember that, it’s a much quicker journey to Joy.

He’ll try to steal it. Let’s not let him!

Instead, let’s use the Joy of the Lord as a weapon for kingdom advancement.  Let’s take back some territory from the darkness.  Let’s make the loss of precious ones like I just lost be the motivation to say, “No more.”  Let’s show the world our brilliant lights for Christ, because they NEED to know Him.  I can’t imagine trying to process this without His love, comfort and grace that points me to His joy even in the darkest moments.  Don’t we want the world to know that too?  We have been given a gift, the presence of God to meet us in our moments of need.  Let’s help others see why walking with Jesus is different, why it matters, and why they might want to consider it for themselves.

Faith is an individual journey for each of us.  We can be people pointing to reasons to pursue Christ, or we can be a reason not to.

I know God wants us to illuminate the world.  Let’s plug into His joy and make some advancements.  Let’s look a little different. For Him.

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”─John 8:12 NLT (emphasis mine)

Let’s follow Him and walk out of darkness. While we do, let’s help someone else into the light as well.

Joy is our Worship

Joy is worship.  When we feel otherwise, yet still choose to exhibit joy God sees our sacrifice.  Choosing joy doesn’t mean denying what happened or our associated feelings; we must deal with those with God’s help. It is healthy to process our wounds with the Lord.  But while we are dealing with those feelings and allowing the Lord to point us to the hope, healing, & abundance of life He has for us, He asks us to do so with Joy.  In that, He sees our sacrifice.  It’s an offering precious and beautiful unto Him.

One of the most beautiful ways to exhibit joy is through a worship song.  The psalmist points us to just that point.

Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;

            it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

Praise the LORD with the harp;

            make music with the ten-stringed lyre.

Sing to him a new song;

            play skillfully, and shout for joy.─Psalm 33:1-3 NIV (emphasis mine)

 

Sometimes when I’m at a loss for what to do, I sing. I surrender to the song and let God show me His sweetness.  It never fails that He plays the perfect soundtrack to HELP ME play skillfully and shout for joy.  The soundtrack He has played over the last several days has too many songs to note, but they all pointed me to Him, to healing, to hope, all while acknowledging my humanness and the grief such a loss of life can hit us with.

Sometimes we just need to sing in faith. He does the rest.  Praise Jesus!

Here’s a song God had on my playlist these last few days. I Raise A Hallelujah by Bethel Music, Jonathon & Melissa Helser.

Maybe you need to hear it too.  And don’t forget to “sing a little louder”; I’d say that counts as shouting for joy.

Joy is our Salvation

What saved me from utter despair about the tragedy of the precious one’s loss of life is this:  I know she was saved.  I went back and watched her baptism video.  Here’s a transcript.

This precious one was asked, Do you love Jesus with all your heart?

Precious one shook her head affirmatively, Yes

This precious one was asked, Do you accept Jesus as the leader of your life, your Lord?

Precious one nodded again, Yes!

This precious one was asked, Do you accept Jesus as the Savior, your Savior?

Precious one shook her head so that her ponytail bobbed up and down in agreement, Yes!

 And then it was proclaimed, We baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as she was dipped into the baptismal and was brought up a Child of God with full access to His kingdom inheritance.

 There was a great group of witnesses who broke out in jubilant celebration here on earth and in heaven that day.  And I know she was greeted at the gates of heaven by more celebration once she went on to be with the Lord just a few days ago.

As I watched her baptism video and paused it at the moment she first came up out of the water, I am reminded of what Joy looks like.  It’s written all over her face!  It’s beautiful!

It gives me great comfort to know that she is not dead; this is not good-bye. I know how much she loved Jesus. I heard her heart in that many times. God has reassured me she is snuggled safely in His arms where she has no more tears, no more sorrows. She is finally at peace.

Thank you for that gift, Lord. It gives me the greatest Joy of all to know she was saved and that she gets to spend all of eternity with You!

Until I see you again, precious one, celebrate with Joy your time with Jesus.  We’ll have a party in heaven together with all the other saints who love and miss you already!

So, how DO I see 2020?

This morning, God gifted me with a beautiful sunrise. I looked and saw glorious hues of pink and purple on the horizon.

 

 

This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. ─Psalm 118:24

 

Join the conversation here or on our Facebook page.

Signature Image: Tracy Stella

1“The Life You’ve Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People.” The Life You’ve Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People, by John Ortberg et al., Zondervan, 2015, pp. 61–63.

How Does God Respond to Me?

by //

Welcome to FACETS of Faith where we hope and pray you encounter God across these pages. It is our team’s desire that we hear God’s heart & themes for all who read the words He gives us. Any errors are always ours. The truth and love that come through? Those are God’s for His glory.  He does good work in each of us. We pray these pages are part of that. Check back each week to see what God inspires the rest of our team to write.

Have you ever wondered what God thinks about you? You are very much on His mind. You are on His heart too. We all are.  His awareness of us is broad and global, but specific and intimate as well. He cares about the whole world even as He cares about our unique place in it.

He loves us on our good days.  He loves us on our bad ones.  His desire is to meet us in both.

God knows we are good, but He also knows we are sinners in need of His saving grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).  He’s not surprised by us, by who He’s getting.  God meets us in the middle of our mess (and believe me, we all have a bit of mess inside us).

Last month I wrote about freedom.  That’s the place God desires to bring us all to, but what He revealed to me is it’s not a destination.  God showed me it’s who I am.  It’s who He desires us all to be:  freedom at the very core of who we are as a child of God.

With freedom in mind, how does God respond to us?

God Responds to Me (T. Stella)

God responds to us with love.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.─Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT

God demonstrated His love for us before we were ever born.  Christ died for us while we were still sinners.

Jesus’ sacrifice was pleasing to God. His death led to the opportunity for our salvation.  He was willing to die so that we wouldn’t have to be separated from God because of our sin.

Love sacrifices.

When we love someone, we want to spend time with them.  God wants that with us for all eternity, so he demonstrated His love for us. Love wasn’t (and isn’t) just a feeling.  Love is action demonstrated for us to see, to experience.

God responded to our sin with His sacrificial love.   He still does.

God’s demonstration of love wasn’t only before we were born. It’s for now. Today. Tomorrow. Forever.

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him.  Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.─Ephesians 3:17-19 NLT

If I were to share all the ways in which I have experienced God’s love, there wouldn’t be time or space to capture its evidence.  I see His love in so many ways.  Answered prayer. A song with lyrics that speak to my soul. Favor with someone I wouldn’t otherwise possess. God’s Word ministering to me, jumping off the page and into my heart. Through people who follow hard after Jesus and love others well.  Being entrusted by God to serve others. For the lessons He teaches and the places He leads.  God’s love plays out before us, we just need to open our spiritual eyes to see. His love is too great for us to fully understand, but He is faithful to show us His love, to help us EXPERIENCE His love. I pray you do. It’s a pillar of faith we absolutely must grasp, because when we really believe God loves us, our lives are transformed forever.

We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).

God responds to us with joy.

For the LORD your God is living among you.  He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs. ─Zephaniah 3:17 NLT

God rejoices over us with joyful songs.

Think about that.

Imagine God rejoicing over you.

Imagine Him singing, singing because you were born.

Treasure that up in your heart, because it’s true.

Music is important. It creates a strong neural path to memories.

I can hear a song from younger years and be back in that moment. I know all the lyrics, even if I haven’t heard them in years. I see. I smell. I taste. I hear. I feel. I am there, wherever I most associate that music with.  Song and memory stitched together in my brain.  I’m sure that happens for you too.

Now think of God rejoicing over you in song. He knows the lyrics you need on any given day, the words to encourage, inspire, correct, and reveal His love.  He’s stitching the memory on our hearts of His love for us through the power of a lyric.

When a song touches your heart, know that it is God’s tenderness reaching for you.

Awhile ago I incorporated listening to a worship song each morning during my quiet time. I can’t tell you how frequently the song is the exact one I needed to hear that very morning. Whether I’m celebrating, lamenting, pondering, or filled with gratitude, inevitably God plays the song that matches what is needed in the moment.

As He does, I think of Zephaniah 3:17 and know that it is Him singing over me.

He rejoices over us, and when the reality of that truth sinks into our soul, it changes us.  There’s a song lyric coming to my mind even now…. “Who are we that He should be mindful of us?”

We are His children, the ones He joyously sings over.

God responds to us with peace.

 The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace. ─Psalm 29:11 NLT

If you read the entirety of Psalm 29, you’ll notice a couple themes:  honor and the power of God’s voice.  God’s voice changes us. His instruction leads us on a transformation journey.  As we grow in our ability to honor God, He blesses us with peace.  Truly, it’s supernatural sometimes.

When I was mired down in sin, I didn’t feel peace. A good word for the emotional tumult I endured as a non-Christian is torment.  Outwardly, it might not manifest, but the inner caverns of my heart lamented.  The tumult might manifest for some as inner torture.  For others, it might be fear or anxiety. Still others the dissatisfaction might rear its head through addictions used to mask the pain that lies within a weary soul.

But God’s powerful voice beckons like a beacon of light keeping ships safe from careening into rocky cliffs.  His powerful voice guides us to safety.  He helps us rest in His perfect peace as we honor Him. Obedience is one way to do that.  When God directs me to change behavior, to turn away from sin, He is after peace for a woman’s weary soul. Sin encumbers. It strangles the possibilities God has for us as sons and daughters until He cuts us loose from the behaviors that hinder us from walking in the goodness and stillness of God’s peace.

As we sit in peace it can feel uncomfortable at first, foreign even. My previous rhythms used to be so accustomed to chaos I had to grow used to peace. As I began to rest in peace, I felt myself able to take a deep breath, to see God with greater clarity.  And the more I see, the more I want to honor Him.

I think when one has had a particularly bumpy past, peace is recognized for the very precious gift it is.

When we walk in obedience to the LORD and honor Him, He responds to us with His bountiful peace.

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. ─Colossians 3:15 NLT

God calls us to live in peace. As a child of God, we can because His peace rules our hearts. Live in peace and be thankful you can because His promises say so. When we need help remembering, pull this scripture out and pray it. God, please help me remember that my peace comes from You. Help me to live in peace as you rule my heart.  In Jesus name, amen!

God responds to us with patience.

 And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. ─2 Peter 3:15a NLT

It’s a really good thing that none of us is judge and jury over what mercy looks like or the timeline for another’s transformation journey. God responds to every one of us with His patience. Time and again we test Him, even those of us who truly desire to walk in His ways. We don’t always do what He wants when He wants us to, even when it’s our desire.  He’s patient and persistent to save us. Salvation, yes, of course. But also as He walks along side us, helping us deal with hurts, wounds, hopes, dreams, plans & purposes.

When we’re afraid, He patiently responds.

When we’re resistant to change, He patiently responds.

When we go our own way, He waits patiently for us to return.

He’s patient in His pursuit. He’s patient in His correction. Both happen, but He is long suffering.

We can see a person’s trajectory and think, “Why do they still do that?” We want the bad behavior to stop, not tomorrow, not ten minutes from now. Today.

Not willing to wait because our society keeps teaching us to be less and less patient. Instant gratification.

Not God. God isn’t interested in instant gratification. He’s interested in the good and perfect gifts He has for us, but in His patient, loving way He gives us time and emotional space to open them.

When we don’t? He’ll keep bringing those gifts of transformation back around to us.

Remember this My sweet one? We still need to take it out of the box and look at it. Are you ready yet? It’s time. Let’s glance at it. We can take baby steps. I will be patient. But I don’t want you to miss the sweet treasure this transformation will bring to you.

That’s His patient voice encouraging us.  He’s always ready to help, and He’ll help us to get there one baby step at a time if necessary.

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with a tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ─Colossians 3:12 NLT

God responds to us with kindness.

Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But─When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. ─Titus 3:3-5 NLT

Like a rainy day when the fog lifts, God reveals his kindness and love. When we were mired down in sinful, foolish, disobedient lives, He saw what we could be even as He washed away our sins. Because He responded to us with kindness, we could hear what He had to say. Mercy gets a sinner’s attention. Kindness creates a spiritual curiosity. Anyone can harshly judge. I’ve seen it. I’ve done it. But not God.

Don’t get me wrong, He’s not a pushover and He’s not condoning our sin.

What I am saying is He understands each of our stories. He knows how we ended up on our own well-worn sinful paths. My sin might look different than yours, but we both have a path that we’ve taken that leads us away from God’s best plan for our lives. His desire is to kindly help us out of those sinful paths.

His kindness gifts us with a new birth and a new life. The Holy Spirit helps us walk not as fools, but as ones filled with God’s wisdom.

We don’t have all the answers. We don’t have all the power to walk in righteousness. But we know the God who reveals His kindness and love to us.  In His kindness He no longer desires for us to be misled as slaves to the power of darkness. In Christ’s power we overcome.

Think about the teacher, coach, parent, or manager who gave you healthy feedback to help you grow. Those who were kind in their delivery were probably most helpful. When a voice is harsh and critical, it’s hard to change. I think because we know we can’t please that voice.  Truth be told, if it’s harsh & critical, it’s not of God. Harsh & critical words have their root in the enemy as their source. Kind words of love and correction, those are God’s.  You can please His voice. You already do.

God responds to us with goodness.

 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. ─Psalm 23:6 NLT

God responds to us with His goodness, even when we don’t see it. His goodness is there guiding us beside still waters. His goodness renews our strength. His goodness guides us along right paths. His goodness gives us rest. His goodness causes us to walk in courage and hope, protection and comfort, honor and anointing. (See Psalm 23)

We couldn’t be good enough to deserve all of God’s goodness.

Sometimes, life’s challenges don’t feel good, I’ll admit. However, even in the midst of difficult days, God’s goodness is real, relevant, and in pursuit of us.

It can take every measure of restraint I have not to react to someone else’s sin. In my own power, I can’t. My sin would kick in and I’d likely give a piece of my mind. I’m human.

But God’s goodness also says, “I’m His.”

And because that’s true, I can abide in His goodness and He can help me embody it to others. Imperfectly, certainly. But better than I would have if His goodness stopped pursuing me.

God’s goodness pursues us all the days of our lives.

I don’t know about you, but I believe this world needs a lot more goodness in it. Wouldn’t it be great if we all could be a part of that?  Good news is …. we can!  As our hearts long for goodness, I’m reminded we won’t get the fullness of that until we are in heaven where sin is locked out and barred for all eternity.

Until then, we can leave wafts of God’s goodness wherever we go as we walk in His.

God responds to us with gentleness.

 Let my teaching fall on you like rain; let my speech settle like dew. Let my words fall like rain on tender grass, like gentle showers on young plants. ─Deuteronomy 32:2 NLT

When we need to learn His ways, God teaches us in His gentleness.

Have you ever been caught in a heavy downpour? The rain pummels hard against your skin like needles.  The skies open and water pours out like a bursting dam.

Water is powerful. It can remove everything in its wake. Sometimes it does.

God doesn’t want to catch us in a tidal wave of teaching that causes us to become overwhelmed, where nothing sinks in.

Contrast a bursting dam with water from a watering can meant to help our plants flourish and thrive. That is the stream that God wants us to stand within, His trickles of blessing.

He is tender with us, like gentle showers on young plants. He teaches us one drop at a time when necessary. He knows He’s helping our roots to grow deep.

They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. ─Psalm 1:3 NLT

God responds to us with faithfulness.

The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” ─Lamentations 3:22-24 NLT

When we can’t or don’t see what God has for us in a moment, in a day, in years, He responds to us with His faithfulness. His mercy pursues us afresh each morning. That’s so reassuring to those of us who sometimes blow it.  There’s a new day for us to respond to God’s faithfulness with our own.  Out of His faithfulness, He births ours. It’s a beautiful thing.

When we grasp how truly faithful God is, we obey faster. Our response time shortens; our bold steps extend.  Why? Because we can trust in a Faithful Father whose love NEVER ENDS. He’s not going to let us down.

He is merciful; His mercies never cease. In the words of Buzz Lightyear, “To infinity and beyond!”

Because He is faithful, He grows our ability to see Him more and more through eyes of faith.  When we lean in a little, He pulls us close.

I think back to my early walk with the LORD when the word was alive, popping off the page, where it seemed like the verses were there just for me….to speak to my heart, resuscitating it, me, back to life. They were there faithfully waiting for me, for when the Lord knew I’d be ready. To come alive.

I think back to yesterday when the word was alive, popping off the page, breathing fresh strength into my spiritual bones.

God is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow.

What is faithfulness? I define it as when you know you can count on someone.

We can count on God. He is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8).

He is faithful and that should define the footsteps we take. Grasp hold of His hand. He knows where He desires to lead you. Let Him.

For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.─John 1:17 NLT

The law has its purpose: to show us our need for Jesus. But it’s God’s unfailing love and faithfulness through Christ Jesus that changes the course of lives – yours and mine.

God responds to us with self-control.

God responded to the people who nailed Him to the cross with great self-control. Our sin is part of that equation. We aren’t innocent, but neither are we condemned because Christ died for the forgiveness of our sin. His death and resurrection sealed our fate. When we say “yes” to Him, we are His for all eternity. His self-control saved us. His self-control saved the world.

In the words of the commentator,

(Christ’s death on the cross) is a sublime example of patience. It rebukes our softness and intolerance of pain. How easily we are made to cry out; how peevish and ill-tempered we become under slight annoyances! A headache, a toothache, a cold, or some other slight affair, is supposed to be a sufficient justification for losing all self-control and making a whole household uncomfortable. Suffering does not always sanctify. It sours some tempers and makes them selfish and exacting. This is the besetting sin of invalids – to become absorbed in their own miseries and to make all about them the slaves….But there is another lesson besides patience in this word of Christ. He only uttered one word of physical pain; but He did utter one. His self-control was not proud or sullen. … Jesus was surrounded by those who had wantonly wronged Him; not only had they inflicted pain, but they had laughed and mocked at His sufferings. …Shamefully as He had been treated by those to whom He had to appeal, He believed that there might still be some remains of goodness at the bottom of their hearts. All His life He had been wont to discover more good in the worst than others believed to exist, and to the last He remained true to His own faith. The maxim of the world is to take all men for rogues till the reverse has been proved. Especially when people have enemies, they believe the own very worst of them and paint their characters without a single streak of any colour but black. To those from whom we differ in opinion we attribute the basest motives and refuse to hear any good of them. But this is not the way of Christ: He believed there were some drops of the milk of human kindness even in the hard-hearted Roman soldiers; and He was not disappointed.1

Let that sink in for a moment. We all need to absorb those words. But this is not the way of Christ. He sees the drops of milk of human kindness in the hard-hearted you and me, and yet He’s not disappointed.

He exhibits great self-control. If not, He would have judged the world already. Instead, His mercy waits. He waits for each one of us.

And then there is us, often impatient wondering, “When God when?”

Under pressure and persecution we ask, “Why God why?

God’s desire is to teach us through the trials of our lives. He may not always be the Author of the setbacks and situations we’d rather not have to endure.  Satan does come to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), but God will always use the trials of this life to shape us to look more like Christ.

God will take what was meant for our harm and work it for our good (Romans 8:28).

I’ve had to stand in the face of false accusations and harsh criticisms. It’s not easy. But sometimes that’s exactly what God asks of us. That’s hard, but the sometimes harder thing is to not view that person as an enemy. They’re not. Satan is our enemy. God wants us to see each person, all of humanity, through His eyes of love.

Sometimes I’ve done this well. Other times I’ve flopped.  That’s one of the reasons why the good news is so good. His mercies are fresh and new each day to help us try again.

So prepare your minds for action and exercise self control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. ─1 Peter 4:13 NLT

Does that sound hard to you? I know!  Right? But here’s the thing: God doesn’t leave us on our own. In His response to us, He shows us how to embody the characteristics of God. Not only does He show us how, His Holy Spirit helps us produce these traits.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. ─Galatians 5:22-24 NLT

For those of us who belong to Christ, envision the cross. Imagine Christ’s self-control. Let the Holy Spirit help us produce the good fruit God has placed within each of us.  When we choose to act with self-control, we can respond to others as Christ responds to us: with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness.

Let our response to others grow to look more like Christ’s each day.

Join the conversation here or on our Facebook page.

Signature Image: Tracy Stella

 

1The Fifth Word from the Cross, biblehub.com/library/stalker/the_trial_and_death_of_jesus_christ/chapter_xviii_the_fifth_word.htm#1.